After publishing two of my comic stripes, the Daily Cardinal, a
student-run newspaper, made a sudden decision that they could not
publish Molecules I Have Known and Loved. The release of MIHKAL
ended without receiving reader complaints or objection. Several people
expressed their disappointment or anger after hearing my apology that
MIHKAL was banned.
The Daily Cardinal staff said they were very
concerned about depicting dangerous drugs, such as Speed, as cartoon
characters. I was very excited to see my works published, but I
understand that not all people can tolerate drug-related topics. My
comical depiction can be easily interpreted by some people as advocacy
for drugs. Here I'm saying again that the intention of my comic is
neither promoting nor against recreational drugs. I'm more frustrated
with the editors' inconsistency - granting me the opportunity then
taking it away within a month.
Professor W. noted that there is
always phobia of drugs in the society. He saw the outcome as
discouraging but understandable. My lab professor did not see a good
potential in MIHKAL as a comic series, but said it surprised him that
the Daily Cardinal, well-known on campus for their liberal and
undaunting attitude, turned it away.
Other people deemed the
newspaper editors' decision as narrow-minded. They understood that
MIHKAL is meant to be a humorous take-on of the subject. My current
classmate S. K. thought newspapers should publish controversial materials
to promote the diversity and freedom of expression. A post doc
in philosophy and a physics faculty said it was "ridiculous", because
Speed whom was blamed is just a comic character. People who do drugs
would have done them anyways, regardless if they read my comic. The
faculty said with disbelief that the Daily Cardinal, which publishes
offensive and controversial things all the time, including articles that
teach people how to have sex, would reject such funny and artistic
work.
Some faculties felt sorry for losing an opportunity to
educate the public. C. D., a research fellow specialized in
sedative-hypnotics, wrote in a message that "they clearly did not get
the scope of [the] comic" and that people just can't make rational
judgement on certain topics. The physics faculty imagined MIHKAL would
be very informative, which could potentially help reduce drug-related
problems in the society. "The problem is we don't talk about it," she
said.
A few people thought the newspaper should never publish
such material. Perhaps with some misunderstanding, Professor G. said,
not unhappily, "[The comic] suggests that you [the author] took and
enjoyed those drugs. I was surprised that the newspaper agreed to
publish it."
Despite people's divergent opinions, they agreed
that the quality of my art is good. I've got a feeling that this is not
the end of this incident. The Daily Cardinal staff said they still hoped
my art to be a part of their paper and wanted to discuss with me,
though with hesitation and possibly denial. Two of my friends eagerly
wanted to see MIHKAL published on paper and volunteered to show my
online samples to the city-based newspaper office.
So far I'm
happy with just doing a web-based comic series and sharing it with my
dear friends and professors. It should be a work enjoyed by people who
do drugs as well as people who don't. In fact, I've received positive
responses from both kinds of people. I'm also getting prepared to be
notorious if I'm determined to deal with this subject in long-term. This
is definitely not the end of MIHKAL. It just got started.
Showing posts with label chemistry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chemistry. Show all posts
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Opioids
I thought I was going to draw more psychedelic molecules during the vacation, but ended up finishing the four opium analgesic molecules I planned to draw.
Morphine and Heroin are in that position because they were lying in the original pictures.
I thought depressants would be boring but the opioids were not so bad.
The original drawings and their bios can be found on my deviantART website.
I don't know when I'll have time to draw again. I have to apply for research funding before the mid-February and adjusting into school life again will keep me busy. Right before the vacation ended I completed a two-paged comic involving LSD and DMT, my male protagonists:
I Hallucinate Therefore I Am Page 1
I Hallucinate Therefore I Am Page 2
I thought depressants would be boring but the opioids were not so bad.
The original drawings and their bios can be found on my deviantART website.
I don't know when I'll have time to draw again. I have to apply for research funding before the mid-February and adjusting into school life again will keep me busy. Right before the vacation ended I completed a two-paged comic involving LSD and DMT, my male protagonists:
I Hallucinate Therefore I Am Page 1
I Hallucinate Therefore I Am Page 2
Friday, November 16, 2012
First Successful Dot Blot!
My previous dot blots were failures. If there's something wrong with our method of detecting the JHBP, I can't advance to the extraction process. I tested with hemolymph samples and the results was a weird "negative staining" - the pigment stained the paper, but where the protein is supposed to be remained white. Prof. Goodman said he's never met this problem in his lab. There could be problems with our antibodies, techniques, material, or something else but we didn't know.
Goodman decided that the antibodies in the refrigerator might be expired. We went to the basement on Tuesday to the huge cold room where stores all of his antibodies and other precious stuff. I watched him digging boxes of tubes out of the negative 80 degree Celsius freezer since he hasn't touched them for a long time. Finally he handed me a 50 mL Falcon tube - which reads "MAB #6, 1. 28. 99" - and told me that was the monoclonal mouse anti-JHBP antibody he obtained in 1999.
The process of producing the antibody was expensive and tedious. JHBP was first injected into a mouse and the antibody was produced at peak after a month and half. The mouse's spleen cell was taken out and cultured - a single cell in each well - with spleen cells made cancer. The cells will hybridize successfully in only a few of those cultures, starting to divide indefinitely and producing the primary antibody. This hybrid cancer cell then was injected into the abdominal cavity of another mouse. The poor mouse grew larger and larger with the tumors until it couldn't walk anymore. Its body fluid, a rich source of the antibody, was dripped and collected. Prof. Goodman made a contract with a company that produced this antibody, and he must hand in large quantity of the antigen - the JHBP - in return. However, over a decade he hasn't figured out how to do it.
I was told to separate the antibody into aliquots, because antibody is best not be refrozen. Since Goodman shared his valuable backlog with me, I treated it as deliberately as possible. On the same day, I pipetted the antibody into 108 centrifuge tubes, 100 micro-liter each, and labeled and stored them in the freezer.
We were suspecting that the problem with the dot blot was the PVDF paper, which didn't seem to absorb the samples, and the dot blot apparatus. Prof. Goodman let me use nitrocellulose paper and just a vacuum instead on Thursday. He killed another Manduca caterpillar for its hemolymph. I prepared the samples, straight hemolymph and 1/10 concentration, and tested them with different concentrations of the primary and secondary antibody.
.jpg)
It was a success! Not only we found that nitrocellulose paper absorbs the samples much more efficiently, we also determined the optimal concentrations for each antibody, the ones that stain the samples the darkest while give the lightest background color. It looked like 1:1000 primary antibody and 1:5000 secondary antibody (column #6) is the best combination for detecting JHBP.
A note on the strength of the signal is, I put 2 micro-liter hemolymph on each dot. Goodman said the concentration of JHBP in Manduca hemolymph is 1.4 nano-gram/1 micro-liter. The purple dot we saw there indicated the presence of 2.8 nano-gram of JHBP.
We became much more upbeat, because the problem wasn't the antibodies, which would be a much bigger trouble. Prof. Goodman said this experiment could be my introductory research project. I felt that he looked at me with more appreciation. I'm gradually getting out of the clumsy novice phase. Although it's just start for me, Goodman is also finding that I'm a diligent and capable person - someone he'd like to be in his lab and good for doing science.
P.S. I asked, "So it means every time I do a Western blot or dot blot, we have to kill a caterpillar?" "That's what they're there for," said Goodman, "We sacrificed trillions of bacteria in the experiments. You can just hear them screaming in the back room 'NO NO NO not me!'" I said, "They're genetically modified to produce a protein that they hate. They probably want to die." "They want to commit bacteriocide!"
Goodman decided that the antibodies in the refrigerator might be expired. We went to the basement on Tuesday to the huge cold room where stores all of his antibodies and other precious stuff. I watched him digging boxes of tubes out of the negative 80 degree Celsius freezer since he hasn't touched them for a long time. Finally he handed me a 50 mL Falcon tube - which reads "MAB #6, 1. 28. 99" - and told me that was the monoclonal mouse anti-JHBP antibody he obtained in 1999.
The process of producing the antibody was expensive and tedious. JHBP was first injected into a mouse and the antibody was produced at peak after a month and half. The mouse's spleen cell was taken out and cultured - a single cell in each well - with spleen cells made cancer. The cells will hybridize successfully in only a few of those cultures, starting to divide indefinitely and producing the primary antibody. This hybrid cancer cell then was injected into the abdominal cavity of another mouse. The poor mouse grew larger and larger with the tumors until it couldn't walk anymore. Its body fluid, a rich source of the antibody, was dripped and collected. Prof. Goodman made a contract with a company that produced this antibody, and he must hand in large quantity of the antigen - the JHBP - in return. However, over a decade he hasn't figured out how to do it.
I was told to separate the antibody into aliquots, because antibody is best not be refrozen. Since Goodman shared his valuable backlog with me, I treated it as deliberately as possible. On the same day, I pipetted the antibody into 108 centrifuge tubes, 100 micro-liter each, and labeled and stored them in the freezer.
We were suspecting that the problem with the dot blot was the PVDF paper, which didn't seem to absorb the samples, and the dot blot apparatus. Prof. Goodman let me use nitrocellulose paper and just a vacuum instead on Thursday. He killed another Manduca caterpillar for its hemolymph. I prepared the samples, straight hemolymph and 1/10 concentration, and tested them with different concentrations of the primary and secondary antibody.
.jpg)
A note on the strength of the signal is, I put 2 micro-liter hemolymph on each dot. Goodman said the concentration of JHBP in Manduca hemolymph is 1.4 nano-gram/1 micro-liter. The purple dot we saw there indicated the presence of 2.8 nano-gram of JHBP.
We became much more upbeat, because the problem wasn't the antibodies, which would be a much bigger trouble. Prof. Goodman said this experiment could be my introductory research project. I felt that he looked at me with more appreciation. I'm gradually getting out of the clumsy novice phase. Although it's just start for me, Goodman is also finding that I'm a diligent and capable person - someone he'd like to be in his lab and good for doing science.
P.S. I asked, "So it means every time I do a Western blot or dot blot, we have to kill a caterpillar?" "That's what they're there for," said Goodman, "We sacrificed trillions of bacteria in the experiments. You can just hear them screaming in the back room 'NO NO NO not me!'" I said, "They're genetically modified to produce a protein that they hate. They probably want to die." "They want to commit bacteriocide!"
Sunday, November 11, 2012
阿蘑和阿菇
最近好像該汰舊換新不少東西。先是電腦螢幕壞了打算寒假回家修，上禮拜腳踏車爆胎，換了新的內胎，這禮拜客廳的燈也壞了。買了一個白色的燈泡，發現其實需要裝兩個，而且白色的冷光也讓家裡看起來不舒服，又去換了兩個黃白燈泡；家裡果然要微黃的柔和照明比較溫馨！
MIHKAL系列終於輪到崔家這兩個雙胞胎小鬼，本名崔洛賓(Psilocybin)和崔洛欣(Psilocin)，綽號阿蘑和阿菇。 他們年紀雖然比較小，卻是那一家子中最有名氣的，因為蘑菇的招牌實在太好認了，他們平時又很招搖。哥哥和姊姊是崔五甲(5-MeO-DMT)、崔嬋(Bufotenin)、和崔小二(DMT)；崔氏兄妹感情很好，共同語言是英文和西班牙文。
全圖：http://eusoniptera.deviantart.com/art/The-Shroom-Twins-337305173
功課這麼忙，如果要畫畫就要犧牲讀書的時間，所以這張擱在那擱了好久。今天是周日，下雨，很無聊，我想這些分子們快想死了！我手邊還有好幾張沒有上色的線稿，包括5-MeO-DMT。
MIHKAL系列終於輪到崔家這兩個雙胞胎小鬼，本名崔洛賓(Psilocybin)和崔洛欣(Psilocin)，綽號阿蘑和阿菇。 他們年紀雖然比較小，卻是那一家子中最有名氣的，因為蘑菇的招牌實在太好認了，他們平時又很招搖。哥哥和姊姊是崔五甲(5-MeO-DMT)、崔嬋(Bufotenin)、和崔小二(DMT)；崔氏兄妹感情很好，共同語言是英文和西班牙文。
 |
| Psilocin 阿菇 |
 |
| Psilocybin 阿蘑 |
全圖：http://eusoniptera.deviantart.com/art/The-Shroom-Twins-337305173
功課這麼忙，如果要畫畫就要犧牲讀書的時間，所以這張擱在那擱了好久。今天是周日，下雨，很無聊，我想這些分子們快想死了！我手邊還有好幾張沒有上色的線稿，包括5-MeO-DMT。
Monday, November 5, 2012
Cute Chemical Element Personification
I found those chemical element characters created by Wirdou.
Sweet! One of the best chemical element personification works I've seen so far.
Sweet! One of the best chemical element personification works I've seen so far.
The Avengers
Silver Surfer
The Noble Gases
Freddie Mercury
Sunday, November 4, 2012
I'm Almost Scared by the Scale of Our Universe
The Scale of the Universe
Go to this website and play. It's very meaningful and fun.
The creator even added comments on every object. Click to see them.
Oh by the way, you can switch to a different language from the bottom.
I dragged from the smallest scale to the largest. I'm almost scared right now. LOL
I can again laugh at physicists from the view point of a biologist for what they're dealing with.
Go to this website and play. It's very meaningful and fun.
The creator even added comments on every object. Click to see them.
Oh by the way, you can switch to a different language from the bottom.
I dragged from the smallest scale to the largest. I'm almost scared right now. LOL
I can again laugh at physicists from the view point of a biologist for what they're dealing with.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
終於了解我的實驗在做什麼了
昨晚想說有好多書要讀，卻因為忙了一整天而太累睡著了。今天除了物理實驗課之外，都泡在實驗室裡養我的細菌。直到現在我才比較清楚Professor G交給我的工作是為了什麼。在我之前有兩個學生參與這個計畫，他們完成改造細菌基因和初步嘗試提純juvenile hormone binding protein (JHBP)的部分，但還沒來的及找出要如何提純JHBP，所以我接手的部分是這個計畫真正的高潮。教授說每一個蛋白質的提純條件都不一樣，他研究JHBP了40年，從發現這個蛋白質、解開它的DNA、到它的大結構，還沒找出提純它的好方法。
實驗大目標：
在科學家解開JHBP和它的許多生化活性或活動之謎前，我們需要大量、純化的JHBP。可以在花費越少、越方便的條件下運用E. coli製造大量的JHBP越好。然後JHBP必須被提純，不變質且形成整齊的結晶。
我的近期實驗目標：
1) 前一個學生發現E. coli被誘導4小時候製造的JHBP比誘導24小時候多，她假設因為E. coli會自行分解JHBP。但只生長4小時的細菌數量很少，我要檢驗這個假設是否是真的，和誘導細菌4、6、8、和24小時做比較，找出誘導的最佳時間。
2) 我們的E. coli被改造對kanamycin有抗藥性，所以用添加大量的kanamycin來確保陪養液中只有純菌。kanamycin不但昂貴，還對人體和其它生物有害。Professor G在另一個實驗中餵Manduca幼蟲吃kanamycin來淨空牠們腸道中的細菌；雖然kanamycin沒有殺掉毛毛蟲，卻害牠們短命。教授的另一個學生提出kanamycin可能是我們的E. coli沒有辦法製造大量的JHBP的原因之一，因為kanamycin的作用是和rRNA結合，抑制細胞內所有蛋白質的合成。我們的純菌雖有抗藥性，卻可能為了要製造分解kanamycin的酵素而用光所有的能量，沒有力氣再製造JHBP了。Professor G說他認為4小時內不添加kanamycin應該也不至於生出雜菌，他希望我試著誘導E. coli，但不要加kanamycin，看看細菌會不會真的因此製造更多JHBP。如果可以不用kanamycin，不但可以替實驗室省下很多錢，也對未來的研究者的健康有好處。(換算，如果我要養一公升的細菌培養液，我需要3公克的kanamycin，這個劑量說不定毒的死人。)
我和教授一邊講著一邊踏出實驗室，因為太興奮居然把電腦忘在實驗室的抽屜裡，晚上還跑回去拿，還好成為實驗室的一員之後我有鑰匙可以隨時進出昆蟲系大樓。雖然我的未來生涯目標不見得是生化，我還是因為有機會參與貢獻世界的知識庫開心的咧！
實驗大目標：
在科學家解開JHBP和它的許多生化活性或活動之謎前，我們需要大量、純化的JHBP。可以在花費越少、越方便的條件下運用E. coli製造大量的JHBP越好。然後JHBP必須被提純，不變質且形成整齊的結晶。
我的近期實驗目標：
1) 前一個學生發現E. coli被誘導4小時候製造的JHBP比誘導24小時候多，她假設因為E. coli會自行分解JHBP。但只生長4小時的細菌數量很少，我要檢驗這個假設是否是真的，和誘導細菌4、6、8、和24小時做比較，找出誘導的最佳時間。
2) 我們的E. coli被改造對kanamycin有抗藥性，所以用添加大量的kanamycin來確保陪養液中只有純菌。kanamycin不但昂貴，還對人體和其它生物有害。Professor G在另一個實驗中餵Manduca幼蟲吃kanamycin來淨空牠們腸道中的細菌；雖然kanamycin沒有殺掉毛毛蟲，卻害牠們短命。教授的另一個學生提出kanamycin可能是我們的E. coli沒有辦法製造大量的JHBP的原因之一，因為kanamycin的作用是和rRNA結合，抑制細胞內所有蛋白質的合成。我們的純菌雖有抗藥性，卻可能為了要製造分解kanamycin的酵素而用光所有的能量，沒有力氣再製造JHBP了。Professor G說他認為4小時內不添加kanamycin應該也不至於生出雜菌，他希望我試著誘導E. coli，但不要加kanamycin，看看細菌會不會真的因此製造更多JHBP。如果可以不用kanamycin，不但可以替實驗室省下很多錢，也對未來的研究者的健康有好處。(換算，如果我要養一公升的細菌培養液，我需要3公克的kanamycin，這個劑量說不定毒的死人。)
我和教授一邊講著一邊踏出實驗室，因為太興奮居然把電腦忘在實驗室的抽屜裡，晚上還跑回去拿，還好成為實驗室的一員之後我有鑰匙可以隨時進出昆蟲系大樓。雖然我的未來生涯目標不見得是生化，我還是因為有機會參與貢獻世界的知識庫開心的咧！
Friday, October 5, 2012
Dot Blot Analysis
I created notes on some concepts and techniques that the past student worked or that I'll be working in near future in Professor G's lab. This one is about dot blot analysis (Of course I won't do it from the very start. I'll start with Step 4 because Professor G already obtained the antibodies.) I just uploaded this here as a record in case if I lost the paper version.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
First Successful Exam Synthesis Problem
I read someone's webpage about Nikola Tesla (the inventor of alternating current, modern electricity system, and many other electronic-related stuff). The person was basically explaining how Tesla was the king of inventors and geeks and Edison was a dickhead (the insults are a thousand times worse on the webpage; the lack of objectivity made me doubt the "facts"). Seems like Tesla had investigated and invented more things than Edison, but he just frequently forgot to write them down or patent them. If the "facts" on the webpage are true, what a shame it is that all the books and textbooks I've read told me that Edison was one of the greatest scientists/inventors and I've only heard about Tesla's name a few months ago! (The webpage said Edison did a lot of bad things in the rivalry with Tesla.) Edison enjoyed the fame and profits brought by his inventions, but Tesla was never married and eventually broke and died alone. (That's sad, he was a handsome guy too ... but consider his exceptional passion for lab works and mental illness, it was probably better that he was single.) There seem to be a lot of underrated scientists in history, while some others became world-famous not entirely due to their works ... I guess now I understand why Tesla won the majority of people's support on Facebook in a humorous comic battling with Edison.
I don't know how much those were true, but just look at Tesla manipulating electricity and lightening in his hands and lab, and claiming that he had the design of devices that could charge a building from lightening (so we don't need wires) and death rays that could kill an army 200 miles away ... OMG so badass!
Btw, the webpage is here: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/tesla
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Done with Chemistry? Almost
I think I probably don't have time to continue to update my spring break travel notes at least until this Friday. I was so stressed last night that I lost my sleep except a few naps. Now I have to write some more lab reports and prepare for the chemistry exam on Friday.
Last evening was my last Chemistry 344 lab. We'll be done for this class after its final exam next Tuesday. (Very fortunately, it means I can go to the Shpongle concert on 10th of May. Simonnnn! :DDDDDD)
So by the end of this semester I'll be done with my college chemistry requirement. Chemistry is hard, but I'm actually feeling kind of sad. I'll say good-bye to chemistry ... and hello to physics! (D:) Nevertheless, I think I'd still prefer to take more advanced biology classes than advanced chemistry.
The few upcoming weeks would be rough. At least I've got a few things that make me glad: the yummy food I cook for myself (even if they make me fatter), a TA (the art TA) who cares a lot about me and always wants to cheer me up, more friends around campus whom I'm probably too busy to meet before the semester ends, and all the molecule characters I've created.
Last evening was my last Chemistry 344 lab. We'll be done for this class after its final exam next Tuesday. (Very fortunately, it means I can go to the Shpongle concert on 10th of May. Simonnnn! :DDDDDD)
So by the end of this semester I'll be done with my college chemistry requirement. Chemistry is hard, but I'm actually feeling kind of sad. I'll say good-bye to chemistry ... and hello to physics! (D:) Nevertheless, I think I'd still prefer to take more advanced biology classes than advanced chemistry.
The few upcoming weeks would be rough. At least I've got a few things that make me glad: the yummy food I cook for myself (even if they make me fatter), a TA (the art TA) who cares a lot about me and always wants to cheer me up, more friends around campus whom I'm probably too busy to meet before the semester ends, and all the molecule characters I've created.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Ready to Make Ketamine ...
I looked at the synthesis route for producing ketamine and I realized, I've learned all of the reactions in Chemistry 345 class! So I decided to figure out and write all the mechanisms as an exam review practice. I'm nerdying out everyday.
Starting with 2-chlorobenzonitrile, it takes just 5 simple reactions to make a ketamine.
1) Grignard reagent with an acidic work-up
2) Carbonyl alpha-bromination via enolate
3) Hydrolysis of tertiary bromide via Sn1
4) Imine formation (happens simultaneously with reaction 3)
5) Ring expansion via alpha-ketol rearrangement
Wow, I didn't know my chemistry knowledge is enough to make a well-known drug now! I'm feeling proud.
Ketamine was first synthesized in 1962 as a substitute for PCP (Angel Dust). She was indeed proven to at least a bit more emotionally stable than her cousin and became an important medicine.
Once Ketamine was commonly sold as Ecstasy at dance clubs, although it makes absolutely no sense to confuse those two drugs with the exactly opposite effects.
Starting with 2-chlorobenzonitrile, it takes just 5 simple reactions to make a ketamine.
1) Grignard reagent with an acidic work-up
2) Carbonyl alpha-bromination via enolate
3) Hydrolysis of tertiary bromide via Sn1
4) Imine formation (happens simultaneously with reaction 3)
5) Ring expansion via alpha-ketol rearrangement
Ketamine was first synthesized in 1962 as a substitute for PCP (Angel Dust). She was indeed proven to at least a bit more emotionally stable than her cousin and became an important medicine.
Once Ketamine was commonly sold as Ecstasy at dance clubs, although it makes absolutely no sense to confuse those two drugs with the exactly opposite effects.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Speed Sketch
Catrina and I were trying to recall what Speed Amphetamine (who is amphetamine itself) looks like. Hmm, so far like that. Catrina suggested that he should be a mod. That'll be excellent! lol I want to make this guy look cooler.
Speed the mod and LSD the hippie hate each other from the start. LSD really has got some nerves to seduce his arch-rival's little sister, although it's not entirely his fault. *facepalm*
Another sketch of Serotonin Tryptamine, who is welcoming people who fall asleep to the world of dreams and peacefulness. I just made a few random sketches. Too bad Bufotenin still doesn't have clothes.
Sometimes stress can make you hard to fall asleep even when you're exhausted, or make you easy to have nightmares. I probably really need Serotonin now ...
Unfortunately I still don't have time to upload my photos and write my travel journals. If I don't go to sleep now, I'll have no time at all to sleep.
MDMA: Introduce to you ... my brother Speed! He's awesome!
(Speed has weird European accent.)
Speed: Doyouknowwhat'sgreataboutbeingastimulant? It's YOU DON'T NEED TO SLEEP andyoucandowhateveryoulikeallnightlong!! LIKE PARTY! OOOOOOOHHHYEEEAAAAHHH!!
Speed: I HATE HIPPIES!
Speed the mod and LSD the hippie hate each other from the start. LSD really has got some nerves to seduce his arch-rival's little sister, although it's not entirely his fault. *facepalm*
Sometimes stress can make you hard to fall asleep even when you're exhausted, or make you easy to have nightmares. I probably really need Serotonin now ...
Unfortunately I still don't have time to upload my photos and write my travel journals. If I don't go to sleep now, I'll have no time at all to sleep.
Friday, April 13, 2012
List of Non-white Molecule Characters
Someone on deviantART reminded me about the representation of "colored" characters. I'm making a list of the molecule characters that are going to be non-white (don't look like Caucasian), and that's not a whole lot! Hopefully we'll have more. It's like a head count so I won't forget whom I have. Let's wait and see if we need to add onto or take off the list. It's interesting that some characters are never white in my mind.
Psilocybin Tryptamine
Psilocin Tryptamine
Diisopropyl Tryptamine
5-Methoxy Diisopropyl "Foxy" Tryptamine
5-Methoxy Methyl-Isopropyl "Moxy" Tryptamine
Miprocin Tryptamine
5-Bromo-Dimethyl Tryptamine
Ephidrine Amphetamine
Khat Cathinone
Cathine Amphetamine
Meth "Crystal" Amphetamine
MDEA, Eve Amphetamine
MBDB, Eden Butanamine
Bromo-Dragonfly Benzodifuran
Cocaine Ecgonine
Caffeine Xanthine
Theobromine Xanthine
Theophylline Xanthine
Salvinorin A. Diterpenoid
Arecoline Tetrahydropyridine
Acetylcholine Ethanaminium
Cortisol Corticoid
Gibberellin A3 Diterpene
Abscisic "Dormin" Acid
Monosodium Glutamate
Notes
- Some molecules that are not on the list might have non-white heritage, e.g. Mescaline Phenethylamine is 1/4 Native American; I'm not sure about Lophophine.
- Some molecules appear to be mix-race, e.g. Acetylcholine, Bromo-Dragonfly, etc.
- Some, especially those of Eastern Europe, Spain, etc. might not really identity themselves as white.
- I'm not sure about DXM, THC, Meth Cathinone, etc. yet.
- I haven't seen an Asian psychedelic. It seems like most Asian molecules are stimulants or something else.
Psilocybin Tryptamine
Psilocin Tryptamine
Diisopropyl Tryptamine
5-Methoxy Diisopropyl "Foxy" Tryptamine
5-Methoxy Methyl-Isopropyl "Moxy" Tryptamine
Miprocin Tryptamine
5-Bromo-Dimethyl Tryptamine
Ephidrine Amphetamine
Khat Cathinone
Cathine Amphetamine
Meth "Crystal" Amphetamine
MDEA, Eve Amphetamine
MBDB, Eden Butanamine
Bromo-Dragonfly Benzodifuran
Cocaine Ecgonine
Caffeine Xanthine
Theobromine Xanthine
Theophylline Xanthine
Salvinorin A. Diterpenoid
Arecoline Tetrahydropyridine
Acetylcholine Ethanaminium
Cortisol Corticoid
Gibberellin A3 Diterpene
Abscisic "Dormin" Acid
Monosodium Glutamate
Notes
- Some molecules that are not on the list might have non-white heritage, e.g. Mescaline Phenethylamine is 1/4 Native American; I'm not sure about Lophophine.
- Some molecules appear to be mix-race, e.g. Acetylcholine, Bromo-Dragonfly, etc.
- Some, especially those of Eastern Europe, Spain, etc. might not really identity themselves as white.
- I'm not sure about DXM, THC, Meth Cathinone, etc. yet.
- I haven't seen an Asian psychedelic. It seems like most Asian molecules are stimulants or something else.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The Ultimate Insect-killing Machine
... DDT.
I made a drawing of DDT since we learned about it in class.
DDT is relatively nontoxic to humans and other mammals but he got into troubles especially with environmentalists and bird-lovers and has been condemned for ecological destruction.
The professor showed us a video of technicians trying to convince an African tribe to apply DDT to control malaria in their village. The chief, being skeptical about anything modern and "magical", shook his head. One of the technicians wanted to show the safety of DDT so he sprayed some DDT in a tray AND HOLY CRAPS HE DRANK IT! (Urrrgh, chlorinated hydrocarbon, I bet it tasted awful.)
Well, it's true that people back in the 50's and early 60's thought DDT was totally safe and the savior of getting rid of all bug problems and insect-vectored diseases. In the same video, the "safety" of DDT was demonstrated by having people dined and swam joyfully in fume of DDT spray.
Things in the drawing:
Top-left: bird death and broken eggs due to DDT poisoning and egg shell thinning.
Top-right: 4 mosquitoes - one dead and three alive - implying that more mosquitoes survived than killed due to resistance.
Right: The personified DDT in his overall.
Left: the (young) Rachel Carson - author of Silent Spring.
Down-right: malaria parasites coming out of a red blood cell.
Down-left: African residents suffered from malaria and hoping to find a solution. DDT is still an important and effective way to reduce the spread of malaria in some African countries by controlling mosquito population.
I just couldn't lift my energy to prepare for exam today. I went back and forth falling asleep and waking up feeling awfully tired. Now it's 3:40 AM but I feel so stressed that I can't sleep. Well, if at least I'm feeling less tired now I'm going to study a bit.
I made a drawing of DDT since we learned about it in class.
DDT is relatively nontoxic to humans and other mammals but he got into troubles especially with environmentalists and bird-lovers and has been condemned for ecological destruction.
The professor showed us a video of technicians trying to convince an African tribe to apply DDT to control malaria in their village. The chief, being skeptical about anything modern and "magical", shook his head. One of the technicians wanted to show the safety of DDT so he sprayed some DDT in a tray AND HOLY CRAPS HE DRANK IT! (Urrrgh, chlorinated hydrocarbon, I bet it tasted awful.)
Well, it's true that people back in the 50's and early 60's thought DDT was totally safe and the savior of getting rid of all bug problems and insect-vectored diseases. In the same video, the "safety" of DDT was demonstrated by having people dined and swam joyfully in fume of DDT spray.
Things in the drawing:
Top-left: bird death and broken eggs due to DDT poisoning and egg shell thinning.
Top-right: 4 mosquitoes - one dead and three alive - implying that more mosquitoes survived than killed due to resistance.
Right: The personified DDT in his overall.
Left: the (young) Rachel Carson - author of Silent Spring.
Down-right: malaria parasites coming out of a red blood cell.
Down-left: African residents suffered from malaria and hoping to find a solution. DDT is still an important and effective way to reduce the spread of malaria in some African countries by controlling mosquito population.
I just couldn't lift my energy to prepare for exam today. I went back and forth falling asleep and waking up feeling awfully tired. Now it's 3:40 AM but I feel so stressed that I can't sleep. Well, if at least I'm feeling less tired now I'm going to study a bit.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Happiest Thing This Week: The Chemistry Lab Report
My chemistry TA told me something shocking last Thursday: she said my lab report was 3 days late because she didn't receive it until last Monday. According to the policy I should receive an zero, but she allowed me to use the excuse form, which could only be used once per semester.
I didn't have an idea what happened. I turned my report in my TA's mailbox on the exact due day. I just couldn't prove it. The penalty of the late report was writing a 3-4 page reports on organic chemistry literature. I didn't know about it so I didn't do it.
On Tuesday, my TA told me that she heard the mail room lady said she saw my lab report on the floor (on the other side of the mailboxes) in the early morning of Monday. My TA then believed that I turned the report in at some point earlier than Monday, just that it slipped off the mailbox or another student pushed it out while turning in his or her own report. So, I didn't have to do the penalty essay and could receive full credits.
Oh man, that's the happiest thing I had this week! I believe my TA is very strict but is actually nice. (The TA emphasized that because the mail room lady said so, not because she believed me. Well ... LOL)
I worked with Katie, my former lab partner from General Chemistry 103 and who is in the same lecture as I now, on our chemistry homework in the library until 2:30 AM today. I have to complete another lab report tomorrow. A lot to do, but it'll sure be a good and productive week.
I didn't have an idea what happened. I turned my report in my TA's mailbox on the exact due day. I just couldn't prove it. The penalty of the late report was writing a 3-4 page reports on organic chemistry literature. I didn't know about it so I didn't do it.
On Tuesday, my TA told me that she heard the mail room lady said she saw my lab report on the floor (on the other side of the mailboxes) in the early morning of Monday. My TA then believed that I turned the report in at some point earlier than Monday, just that it slipped off the mailbox or another student pushed it out while turning in his or her own report. So, I didn't have to do the penalty essay and could receive full credits.
Oh man, that's the happiest thing I had this week! I believe my TA is very strict but is actually nice. (The TA emphasized that because the mail room lady said so, not because she believed me. Well ... LOL)
I worked with Katie, my former lab partner from General Chemistry 103 and who is in the same lecture as I now, on our chemistry homework in the library until 2:30 AM today. I have to complete another lab report tomorrow. A lot to do, but it'll sure be a good and productive week.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Diethyl Ether
Diethyl Ether
Diethyl Ether is a Ukrainian girl and the daughter of Ethyl Alcohol.
She is short too but taller than her dad.
It'll be an amazing scene to see her walking.
Ethanol is industrially used to produce diethyl ether. Through an acid-catalyzed Sn2 reaction, two equivalents of ethanol make one equivalent of deithyl ether, with ethanol itself as the solvent.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Microwave Chemistry
Literally.
It's an Sn2 (nucleophilic bimolecular substitution) reaction, Williamson ether synthesis, that requires heat and pressure to get the desirable rate.
The microwave looks (and sounds) not much different to a domestic microwave. I've heard each of the tube inside costs about $100. They are designed to withstand very high pressure because the reaction takes place in closed system and is heated up to 140 degree Celsius.
The lab manual says using microwave to speed up reaction is more environmental because less electricity than traditional hot plate or sand bath and no water is needed to cool down the product.
P. S. I just realize I actually met and even talked to Jeffrey Vinokur (a.k.a. the Dancing Scientist) multiple times, since I went to Rhythms Per Second's hip-hop lessons in the first year. Now I just connected those two, oh, that Jeff is actually Jeffery Vinokur. He'll be teaching a popping lesson tomorrow and if I go I could meet him again ... but I'll probably stay home and do homework for my time has been tight recently.
It's an Sn2 (nucleophilic bimolecular substitution) reaction, Williamson ether synthesis, that requires heat and pressure to get the desirable rate.
The microwave looks (and sounds) not much different to a domestic microwave. I've heard each of the tube inside costs about $100. They are designed to withstand very high pressure because the reaction takes place in closed system and is heated up to 140 degree Celsius.
The lab manual says using microwave to speed up reaction is more environmental because less electricity than traditional hot plate or sand bath and no water is needed to cool down the product.
P. S. I just realize I actually met and even talked to Jeffrey Vinokur (a.k.a. the Dancing Scientist) multiple times, since I went to Rhythms Per Second's hip-hop lessons in the first year. Now I just connected those two, oh, that Jeff is actually Jeffery Vinokur. He'll be teaching a popping lesson tomorrow and if I go I could meet him again ... but I'll probably stay home and do homework for my time has been tight recently.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Wish for Some Rest ...
I'm so tired today because I barely had time to sleep last night. I was done with all classes and went home by 8:30 PM, then I worked on the chemistry homework that's due tomorrow morning. Even though I had some difficulties, I finished a problem set, modified a lab report, and exercised. I hate procrastinating, but I'm proud of myself! Man I'm craving for some sleep!
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My two roommates, Janie and Kelly, told me today that they think I'm being way too noisy. They were unhappy at my music and washing dishes at late night, said it bothered them, but especially when they want to sleep in the living room (Why would they give up beds anyways?). Janie claimed she frequently heard "very loud noises" coming from my room at night, however she didn't specify what kind of noise when I asked. It's pretty strange because I usually only keep the volume that's good enough for me to hear and close my door at late night.
This was not all. Kelly said I'm being very disrespectful to them. I was surprised and asked her how. She said I just "look disrespectful", and she was really offended by the way I talk and look at her. I was so tired that I didn't say anything besides I didn't mean it, and I'll improve the situation. But was that a joke? I almost never talked to Kelly (or even looked at her). I do talk to Janie, but it's like three times a week, with brief or insignificant conversation. All I wanna say is, I could do something to improve, but I think they're being oversensitive. I never complained about sometimes they laugh and chat loudly in their room (I can hear it.), and for some reason they have occasional screams that could scare me. That doesn't bother me. *shrug*
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P. S. Ohoh btw, I wondered if I make DMT look like such a twink (but he is not stupid!). LOL
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My two roommates, Janie and Kelly, told me today that they think I'm being way too noisy. They were unhappy at my music and washing dishes at late night, said it bothered them, but especially when they want to sleep in the living room (Why would they give up beds anyways?). Janie claimed she frequently heard "very loud noises" coming from my room at night, however she didn't specify what kind of noise when I asked. It's pretty strange because I usually only keep the volume that's good enough for me to hear and close my door at late night.
This was not all. Kelly said I'm being very disrespectful to them. I was surprised and asked her how. She said I just "look disrespectful", and she was really offended by the way I talk and look at her. I was so tired that I didn't say anything besides I didn't mean it, and I'll improve the situation. But was that a joke? I almost never talked to Kelly (or even looked at her). I do talk to Janie, but it's like three times a week, with brief or insignificant conversation. All I wanna say is, I could do something to improve, but I think they're being oversensitive. I never complained about sometimes they laugh and chat loudly in their room (I can hear it.), and for some reason they have occasional screams that could scare me. That doesn't bother me. *shrug*
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P. S. Ohoh btw, I wondered if I make DMT look like such a twink (but he is not stupid!). LOL
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Psilocybin You Are A Star!
Look at who is on our Wikipedia today's featured article!
Psilocybin and his twin brother Psilocin are the most well-known Tryptamines.
(Man, how I wish I have their designs done!)
I underlined the important things or things I think it's interesting.
Digression: I love eating blood oranges, but I'm not sure about the claimed health benefits of them. When I was peeling the oranges, I suddenly wondered if eating blood oranges could satisfy some people's weird bloodthirsty fantasy. Their color makes it looks as though you're tearing some kind of tissues apart and biting into them ... I don't know. I don't have that kind of desire.
Digression P. S.: I bought two fennel bulbs last week but didn't know how to eat them. The tag on the vegetable said it could be made into salads, so I just cut and ate them raw. They had a very strong and unique aroma. When you get used to it, it's good!
Psilocybin and his twin brother Psilocin are the most well-known Tryptamines.
(Man, how I wish I have their designs done!)
I underlined the important things or things I think it's interesting.
Digression: I love eating blood oranges, but I'm not sure about the claimed health benefits of them. When I was peeling the oranges, I suddenly wondered if eating blood oranges could satisfy some people's weird bloodthirsty fantasy. Their color makes it looks as though you're tearing some kind of tissues apart and biting into them ... I don't know. I don't have that kind of desire.
Digression P. S.: I bought two fennel bulbs last week but didn't know how to eat them. The tag on the vegetable said it could be made into salads, so I just cut and ate them raw. They had a very strong and unique aroma. When you get used to it, it's good!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
My Recent Chemistry Labs
Those pictures won't make sense without some captions.
I made so many stupid mistakes during those labs.*sobs*
Such as getting unknown acid on my hand, inhaling some diethyl ether, and spilling some of the solution on the floor. Also, I completely lost the amine during the separation process.
Organic chemistry labs are so hard to do!
I made so many stupid mistakes during those labs.*sobs*
Such as getting unknown acid on my hand, inhaling some diethyl ether, and spilling some of the solution on the floor. Also, I completely lost the amine during the separation process.
Organic chemistry labs are so hard to do!
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